Heavenly Brews

Chapter Two

Sam's POV

Waking up to Bones licking my nose, I groan and pet him before sitting up. He jumps down and trots away, tail wagging lazily as he disappears down the hallway. I run my hands through my hair, looking at the clock that says it's just past six. Untangling myself, my foot gets caught and I lose my balance and fall, smacking against the floor yelping. Bones sticks his head in the room to see where the noise came from, and I swear he rolled his eyes before walking away again.

So it's going to be one of those days.

Pushing myself off the floor, I rub my elbow where it hit the ground and head to the bathroom to see if it's bruising. It is. I sigh and strip, turning on the shower water. After I've stepped out and gotten dressed, I feed Bones then make a smoothie for breakfast, putting in random fruit and blending it. Bringing it over to the table, I sip it as I slowly skim the last few papers. When I mark the last one in the grade book, I put them away and glance at my plans for the next few weeks. I decide to move back an article analysis and place an independent reading assignment. Satisfied, I rinse out the smoothie cup and plop down on the couch.

Grabbing my book, I stretch across the whole couch, lying on my side as I turn the book to where I can read it. Just as I'm getting to a good part, my alarm to wake me up goes off in my bedroom and I set the book down to stop its annoying call. Now 7:00, I debate going to the school early or staying to keep reading my book. Thinking it would do me no harm to go early, I finish getting ready and grab my stuff, patting Bones on my way out of the flat. Getting in my truck, I turn the radio on and Heat of the Moment by Asia starts playing.

"I hate this song," I mumble to myself as I change the channel and some 90's song comes on. Leaving it, I drive to the school and park in my usual spot as most teachers won't be here for another half hour. Strolling through the halls, I turn and nearly bump into someone going the opposite way.

"Watch where you're going, moose. Need I remind you that you're only on a one year contract?" Crowley says, and I stare at the principal.

"Sorry, I wasn't expecting you to be there," I reply, not in the mood for his devilish personality today.

"Well next time, pay attention!" he barks then strides off, probably to terrorize any students here for zero hour.

I glance at the ceiling, as if it has the solution to my bad day, but it just stays blank and unhelpful above me. I walk to my classroom to see one of the after school clubs had used it and not cleaned up after they left. The desks are array, and scattered wrappers and forgotten snacks complete the scene. Frowning and running a hand through my hair, I set down my bag and begin to fix the desks. As I'm picking up the discarded food I grab a half-eaten yogurt cup that sat out overnight and it somehow ends up on my sleeve. Throwing it all into the trash, I glare at my sleeve and try dabbing it with a tissue but it just smears. Frustrated, I go to a bathroom to wash it off and in the process I soak my sleeve and the paper towels do nothing to dry it.

Giving up, I go back to my class and sit at my desk, remaining silent until all of my first hour students have shown up. Sensing my annoyance, they stay quiet as I tell them to read their personal books for the first half of class then to look over the instructions for the independent reading project I changed to this week. Before I sit down, I collect the poems from the tray and ask if I have them all. Grabbing the stragglers, I sit at my desk again and check my school email.

Staff meeting after last bell. Meet in room 147.

Now with something to dread, the day seems to fly by, and I have trouble in my fifth hour class, having to send two students to the office. When the final bell rings, I pack away the poems I never looked at and leave my bag so I don't have to take it to the meeting. Not wanting to be late, I walk through the swarm of rushing students, easily towering over them but still having to avoid being jostled. I see the music teacher from the other day and we walk to the meeting together, the students avoiding us now as the halls thin out.